An Atlas to Follow
by Carpe Nocturne
Summary: AU: What if Emma had met Killian before he became the dreaded Captain Hook? How would things have changed? Emma's adventures with Killian, spanning from Killian's first trip to Neverland through many piratical adventures.
1. Chapter 1

**So I finally got around to finishing the edits my beta sent to me. So here's a much better version of chapter one. I've also started working on chapter two and hope to finish the first draft tonight. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.**

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She finally made it onto a ship.

Not just any ship but the fabled _Jewel of the Realm_.

Emma had been around the docks and taverns enough to hear the rumors and tales about the crew of the King's favorite ship, the various realms and lands they traveled to and the exotic riches they brought back to fill the kingdom's coffers. She hadn't paid them much attention. After all, it hadn't mattered much to her. It wasn't like a poor barmaid would ever get to see any of that wealth and, well, the tavern she worked at certainly wasn't the place where a crew of well-mannered naval officers would visit. She barely noticed the stories anymore they were just jumbled masses of words and phrases that passed through one ear and out the other as she walked by - stories far too fanciful to be anything other than fishermen's' yarns.

It only took one sentence to change everything. It had been a long, hard night when she heard it. The sailors had been particularly loud and handsy, which was annoying but it also meant that they were drunk enough not to notice a few extra gold coins missing at the end of the night. The entire tavern had been a symphony of words and boisterous laughter that bounced off the walls and echoed throughout the room. As she passed one of the rowdier tables, one conversation stuck out above everything else.

It seemed the _Jewel_ was about to embark on a long journey, a mission that would take them to a realm where time stood still - a place by the name of Neverland.

At first it didn't mean anything to her. It was Just another land she'd never see, another lost opportunity. However, as Emma lay awake in her bed that night, she couldn't seem to stop thinking about it. Of the different possibilities and adventures one could have in a world where time stood still, of all the riches and stories that she could amass.

She made her decision before the first faint light of dawn had shone through her window.

It hadn't taken much, a friendly smile and a well-timed giggle to one of the lower naval officers as he'd been lounging on some crates at the dock and he'd been putty in her hands. All she'd had to do was give the poor boy some sob story about she'd always wanted to see a boat as magnificent as the famed _Jewel of the Realm _and the next thing she knew, she was walking up the gangplank. Now all she had to do was find the captain.

"Oh, this is amazing! Who runs this magnificent vessel?" Emma twittered at the young sailor, trying to make her expression innocent and her voice as breathy.

"Well that would be the captain, ma'am. He's not here right now, though. he's making sure we're all clear at the castle before we sail." A blush spread across the top of his nose and both cheeks. He was a cute thing, but far too young for her taste. Had she been younger (or he older, less gangly and pass the final stages of puberty), she might have considered him quite a catch. For now, though, he was simply a means to an end.

Her expression dropped into one of clear disappointment. "Oh no! Such a shame. I so desperately wanted to meet the man who controlled such a wonderful ship."

"I believe I can help with that, milady," a cool voice responded right next to her ear.

The young sailor's attention shifted from her face to over her shoulder and he quickly straightened to attention.

That only meant one thing. A commanding officer had finally made an appearance.

Emma spun around to face the new arrival and came face to face with the most attractive man she'd ever seen in her life. Forget the younger officer, this man was pure temptation wrapped up in a uniform. Considering, young sailors surrounded her day in and day out was truly a feat.

Dark brown hair, almost black even in the bright light of day, fell in front of his eyes just enough to give him something of a mysterious air. His defined jawline matched with his high cheekbones perfectly, but it was his eyes that really sealed the deal. They were just so blue, almost as blue and tumultuous as the ocean that surrounded them. Expressive, too, even if the current emotion that was displayed in their depths wasn't exactly as positive as Emma had hoped it would be.

"Officer, mind explaining to me what exactly a civilian is doing on this ship right before we're set to leave?" He addressed the sailor though his eyes were focused on Emma. The beginnings of a blush crept up her neck but she refused to flinch. This was a fight she was not going to lose. She couldn't help but notice that he had a bit of an accent that she couldn't place. It seemed that everything about this man was going to surprise her.

"I-I was just giving her a tour, Lieutenant. She just wanted to see the boat is all."

"Oh I see. And what does Miss…?" the newcomer paused, clearly waiting for her to answer. His eyes flickered briefly down to her lips and then back up.

Emma did nothing but glare back at him. "Swan. Emma Swan. And you are?"

The right corner of his lips slowly stretched up into a smirk as he dropped into a low bow. "Lieutenant Killian Jones at your service, milady." He winked as he rose back up and then began to circle her, looking for any possible flaw or anything that have him an excuse to throw her off the boat and back to the docks. Emma didn't move, instead choosing to stare ahead, watching the other sailors as they worked to ready set sail for the journey. Though to all appearances they were absorbed in the task of moving barrels and other supplies from one of the ship to the other, Emma could tell by the angle of their ears and the turn of their heads that they were all very interested in the conversation that was taking place between her and the Lieutenant.

"What do you think of the fabled _Jewel of the Realm_, Miss Swan?"

She leveled her eyes with his. "I think that I would like to see the captain."

A look of shock flickered across his features before he quickly schooled his expression back into that of carefree indifference. "And why, pray tell, would you want to talk to him?"

Emma took a step forward until she was almost chest-to-chest with him. The scent of brine and leather fluttered up to her nose and it took her a second to realize that it wasn't coming from the ocean but instead from the lieutenant himself. She smiled up at him, a challenge reflecting in the upturn of her lips. "Well that would be between the captain and I, now wouldn't it?"

The look he shot back at her sent a shiver up her spine. There was a sliver of anger reflected in those blue depths and Emma knew she'd hit a nerve. Thankfully, Emma could also tell that he was curious. Good. That was all she needed to get to the Captain. Just a chance.

"Aye, I suppose it is, lass. Well I would hate to keep a determined lady such as yourself waiting. I am a gentleman, after all." He offered her his arm.

Emma scowled down at the offending ligament before looking back up at him, a sarcastic smile painted across her face. Two could play at this game. "Why, thank you, Lieutenant. Whatever would I do without you?" He pulled her across the deck and towards the stern of the ship.

She tried not to gawk as they passed under what seemed liked miles and miles of rope stretching from one mast to the other and hanging down in man-made webs, the sailors climbing up and down them like spiders as they prepared the boat for sail. Working near the docks had, of course, given her some knowledge about the different ships that had come into port and their inner workings, but Emma quickly found that seeing a boat from the safety of the dock or from her bedroom window at the tavern was nothing quite like actually being on deck. The hustle and bustle of the crew was exhilarating, if not a little daunting, because she felt like she was constantly in their way since the Lieutenant had seen fit to drop her arm from his hold almost as soon as he had taken it in the first place.

Unsurprisingly, the captain's quarters were located behind the helm of the large brig. Emma supposed for easy access to the wheel in case of a sudden storm or pirate attack. As they approached, Killian stepped forward, leaned down, and opened the hatch that lead down into the depths of the hold.

"Ladies first," he said as he turned back to her.

Emma shot him a skeptical look and then headed down a short flight of stairs and into what seemed to lead down into the officers' quarters. She dropped down into the lower level of the ship, she was immediately assaulted with the scent of wet wood. While it wasn't a completely awful scent, it was strong, making her feel like if she put any sort of pressure on the dark walls that surrounded her that water would pour down from between the slats and onto the floor. From what she could tell, she had landed right in the middle of officers' quarters. Doors lined the hallways to her left and right and glass lanterns hung between the doors. As Jones dropped behind her, he grabbed her bicep and quickly took the lead again, drawing her to the left and dragging her towards the door at the end of the hall.

The captain's quarters were just as she expected, functional and perfect for a naval captain. The bed was small, she assumed uncomfortably so, considering it looked like it could barely fit her body let alone that of a full-grown man. She was surprised to see that the sheets were rumpled and not at all what she was sure was typical protocol. Weren't naval officers supposed to be orderly? In the center of the room sat a dining table covered in maps, pens, and a variety of other instruments used for navigation were pushed off to the side in the far corner. It was there she found the Captain. He was hunched off the top of the desk, examining the different maps that lay across it. She noticed he paid particular interest to one with a landmass she couldn't recognize, fingertips running with focus and determination along seas and valleys that stretched across the pulled fabric.

Lieutenant Jones moved to stand at attention, hand rising up to his forehead to form a salute.

The captain looked up as they entered, eyes lingering over her briefly before returning back to his maps. "At ease, Lieutenant."

Jones relaxed and turned to Emma. "May I present to you Captain Liam Jones. Liam, this is Miss Emma Swan. She has some urgent business she simply _must _discuss with you."

Surprise shot through her body, setting her nerves on fire and a blush to rise back up into her cheeks. "Jones?!"

"Ah, I can tell by your surprise that my dear little brother left that bit of information out." Liam spoke up from the other side of the room as he stepped away from the map table and moved towards them. As the initial shock seeped out of her system, Emma studied the captain as he neared. The more she looked at him the more she noticed similarities between the two men. Where Killian was leaner, Liam had been graced with much more of a stockier build. His hair was also lighter than Killian's, more the color of fine sand than raven black.

Emma offered her hand to the captain in a daze. Feeling that she had just bitten off way more than she could chew as the captain gently grasped her hand and brought it to his lips for a chaste kiss across her knuckles. She could practically feel Killian's laughing gaze burning a hole in the dip between her shoulder blades.

"Now, Miss Swan, how can I help you?"

His question startled her back to reality like cannon fire. It was now or never.

Emma straightened her shoulders and looked the legendary captain dead in the eyes. "I want safe passage aboard your ship. I can offer payment and what my money can't cover, I'm more than willing to work off in the kitchen."

The silence in the room was deafening. Both the occupants stared at her like she'd grown a second head as opposed to simply asking for safe room and board on the ship. To be fair, Liam was handling it much better than his younger brother was. While Liam's eyes had simply widened and he had gone quite still at her request, Killian had practically fainted, his blue eyes going wide and jaw dropping dramatically to the floor.

It was Killian who broke the silence first. "It's out of the question."

Emma turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "Last time I checked, it isn't_ your_ decision, now is it?" Killian simply glared back at her and moved to step around her so that he was standing to Liam's left. All the better to protest and dissuade him, she supposed.

The captain still hadn't spoken a word and it was beginning to unnerve Emma. She could feel the beginnings of a cold sweat breaking out all over her skin, her palms turning slick. She fought the urge to rub them against the fabric of her skirt. _'Don't let them see you falter, Emma. You can do this. Remember, this is your chance to get out of this godforsaken port town.'_

"Tell me, Miss Swan, why exactly do you want aboard this ship?" The captain turned back to stand behind the map table he had been studying so critically before their arrival. She watched as he brought a hand up to rub at his jaw before he brought his eyes back up to once again meet hers.

Emma did her best not to show that she was nervous as she took a deep breath before answering. "It's simple, really. I want a fresh start. I'm tired of working as a barmaid. There's more to life and places to see and I want to see it all."

Liam narrowed his eyes a bit as he considered her. "Ah I see and why did you pick my ship? Any particular reason?"

"Well I wouldn't trust a crew of pirates, now would I?" She deadpanned. A small smile stretched across Liam's face at her answer.

"Liam, you can't seriously be considering this," Killian protested, doing anything he could to get his brother's attention away from Emma and back to him. The captain paid him no mind and continued to stare at her. It was obvious that he, despite Killian's obvious aversion to the idea, was in fact considering her request. His eyes were still focused on her face, scrutinizing every inch and lingering especially on the determined set of her lips and the straightness of her shoulders.

Apparently Liam had finally seen whatever it was he needed to see because his eyes left her face and turned to his brother.

"Why shouldn't I consider it?" There was a calm curiosity in his expression as he looked at his younger brother.

For a second, Killian went completely slack jawed, his eyes widening comically as his jaw dropped back towards the floor. In any other situation, Emma probably would have laughed at the sheer absurdity of it all. However, considering it was currently her future on the line, she did her best to swallow the giggles that were trying to make their way up her throat.

Emma watched as the Lieutenant recovered from his shocked stupor and ran a hand through his hair in frustration, turning to pace away from Liam before quickly spinning back around. "You can't! She's a woman, Liam! It's bad luck!"

The captain let out a small chuckle. "So? We've had women on this ship before. You never complained then."

Killian faltered for a moment, eyes darting around the room as if he could find the answers he so desperately needed in the wood grain of the walls or the fabric of the sheets on the bed.

His gaze shot back to Liam as realization and a victorious smile spread his features, "She knows nothing about working on a boat!"

Liam merely smiled. "Neither did any of the cabin boys, or you for that matter, when they came aboard. They learned and so will she and if she's rubbish, then we'll just send her down to help the cook. She's staying, brother. That's the end of it." The tone of Liam's voice left no further room for argument, a fact that Killian quickly picked up on as his mouth shut with a barely audile snap. Even from across the room, Emma could see the way the muscles along his neck and jaw flexed with the effort of keeping his mouth shut.

Liam moved forward to clap the unyielding Lieutenant on the shoulder before turning to Emma once more. "Welcome aboard, Miss Swan. Lieutenant Jones here will show you to your cabin. As for me, I have a ship I have to ready for sail." He patted Killian on the shoulder once more, nodded to Emma, and then quickly left the cabin, leaving the two of them alone.

Not even the burn of Killian's glare could stop the smile that broke across her face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! Long time no see! Sorry it took so long for me to post this, I got tied up with work and was so busy that I was literally only using my house as a place to take a shower and sleep. I'm back now though and here's my Valentine's Day present to all of you! Hope you enjoy it! **

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"Pick up the pace, Swan! We don't have all day!"

It was in these moments that Emma Swan deeply regretted her decision to join the crew of the _Jewel of the Realm_. It had been exactly two weeks since the ship had left the port that she had called home for years. It had been one very long week since Lieutenant Jones had decided that Emma deserved to be the victim of his unrelenting adherence to protocol. For seven days, it had been "Swan this" and "Swan that" and "SWAN! You missed a spot!" With each new command, Emma could feel the thin thread of her patience threatening to snap. The lieutenant really had no idea how many times he came close to dying by her hands since she'd made her way above deck.

It hadn't been so awful in the beginning. The first two days, she had been a victim of an awful case of seasickness. Even though she had spent a lifetime living in a port town, it had been many years since she'd actually set foot on a boat and longer since she had been in a boat on the open sea. She had refused any food that had been brought to her cabin and spent the time either staring absently at the ceiling of her small and sparse cabin (she had thankfully been allowed to have a room all to herself) or puking up her heels. The captain and lieutenant had checked on her few times but she had either been on the edges of sleep or too nauseous to do much more than stare at them and nod or shake her head at their questions. At the start of the third day, Lieutenant Jones had finally decided that he'd had enough of her moaning and vomiting and forced her to ingest a small pill made from some kind of root that had helped her finally keep the contents of her stomach down and, as Killian so eloquently put it, "actually make herself useful."

She had spent the rest of that first week down in the galley or learning the ins and outs of the ship. She hadn't done much cooking while she had worked at the tavern but she knew enough to make her way around a kitchen without much complaining from the head cook, Griggs. He was much older than most of the others, edging closer to fifty than the average twenties and thirties of the other sailors. He was rough around the edges, nowhere near prim and proper as he probably should be, but he was funny and honest to a fault and Emma found that she enjoyed his company. He was full of crazy stories about the lands he visited, whether on the_ Jewel_ or one of the numerous other ships he had spent his many years servicing, and more than once had she found herself laughing until her stomach hurt from one of his more interesting tales. It was nice and the small kitchen quickly became a place of comfort for her.

Though she only really saw them at mealtimes, the other sailors had proved to be just as nice as welcoming once they had gotten to know her. There had, of course, been a few who had stayed away, muttering about bad luck and curses under their breath whenever she tried to have any sort of conversation with them but she supposed she couldn't win everyone over.

However, what semblance of peace and comfort Emma had managed to find down in the galley had quickly been shattered upon the start of the second week when Lieutenant Jones had stomped his way into the small mess hall and declared with a sinister grin that it was time for her to really earn her keep. It was time to head onto the deck.

In accordance with her position on the crew (she supposed she was unofficially a part of the crew, since she wasn't lounging around like a passenger ought to be), she could do nothing but nod and follow him up the stairs, a grimace staining her lips the entire time.

That had been on Monday. Five days later and Emma was doing everything she could to keep herself from killing the lieutenant.

"Finding a few knots too difficult to manage, milady?"

Emma closed her eyes and let out a sigh of frustration. "No, sir."

She heard the soft rustle of cloth and the creak of leather as he bent down to lean over her shoulder and admire her work. His breath against her neck sent a shiver down her spine. "Really? Because it seems to me you've managed to only make half of the ones I asked you to. Having problems?"

Emma grit her teeth. "No, sir."

"Oh good, then you wouldn't mind if I doubled the number, would you?" He sneered as he straightened back up to a standing position.

And the fragile bit of control Emma had been holding onto snapped. "Oh, that is it!" Emma yelled as she shot up from the crate she had been sitting on and spun around to face him. "I have had it! I don't know what crawled up your breeches and died but lay off! Since you brought me up here, it has been nothing but 'Swan, this' and 'Swan, that' and I am sick of it!"

Utter surprise had settled across his face. Clearly he hadn't expected her to snap so soon or so easily and Emma did her best to squelch the wave of satisfaction that spread across her chest at the sight of his fear. He backed up a bit when she stood up, as though each word bore the weight of a physical blow. Emma followed him, denying his escape.

Like hell he was going to get away from this.

"You've made it abundantly clear since the very beginning that you didn't want me here. I get it! I've been, what was it?" She paused for effect and looked up to the sky as if in thought and then brightened and snapped her finger before training her angry gaze back at him, "Oh yes! 'A bloody nuisance' and bad luck ever since I walked onto the ship!" She continued, the fabric of her skirt whipping around her legs as she marched forward, as if the very wind was reflecting the rage that had taken control over her body.

Killian, following his purest survival instinct, continued to backpedal across the deck but froze when he felt the rough wood of the ship's railing against his lower back. Oh gods, he was in for it now. He quickly threw his hands up into a position of surrender. Unfortunately, it seemed that even that wouldn't manage to thwart her ire as he watched her continue to move forward and invade his personal space. It wasn't until they were chest to chest and practically breathing the same air that she finally came to a stop. He looked over his shoulder and down at the water; mentally weighing his options and trying to decide whether or not it would be better to die from the fall overboard or by the brute force of her wrath.

"I have news for you, buddy. Until we reach another port or your brother decides to throw me off the ship, we are stuck together. So I suggest you either stay out of my way or get over it because I am done!" Emma punctuated the last word with a jab to his chest.

Killian struggled to maintain eye contact with her, too scared to actually look away in case she decided to go for his jugular the second he glanced away from her.

He gulped. "Liam! A little help, please?"

Emma's eyes narrowed a fraction.

Liam, who had been watching the entire spectacle from the safety of the helm, let out a laugh, "I do believe you're going to have to dig yourself out of this one on your own, dear brother!"

Emma almost preened in delight as she watched the shock and outrage that spread across the Lieutenant's face as soon as he realized that he would receive no back up.

Killian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I may have been a tad overzealous in teaching you the ways of the ship." He murmured.

"A tad?!" Emma's hands rose to land on her hips.

"Okay a lot!" Killian relented.

"And?"

He sighed "And I'm sorry."

"AND…?"

He jolted at that and in his surprise managed to work up enough courage to meet her glare with one of his own. "What more do you want from me, woman?!"

"You've been badgering me non-stop for a week! What do you think?" She growled back.

Killian rolled his eyes, a frustrated groan making its way past his clenched teeth. "Fine! I was a total prick this past week and I'm sorry! Is that what you wanted to hear? Gods above, you're infuriating!"

Immediately, her expression brightened into that of a mischievous smile and if he hadn't been so supremely angry and terrified of her, he would've admired the way it softened her features and made her eyes sparkle (to be honest, he still was).

"Why thank you, _sir_" she bit off drolly and dropped into a sarcastic curtsy before rearing back up and continuing, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish my knots." She reached up and patted him on the cheek before turning around and moving back to the crate and bands of rope that she had vacated earlier.

All Killian could do was watch, eyes wide and face frozen in confusion at what in the seven realms had just happened to him. Admittedly, he had been quite harsh to her (though he couldn't quite figure out why he had decided to make her the target of his teasing) but surely it hadn't been _that_ awful. It wasn't until he felt his brother's arm wrap around his shoulders that he managed to snap out of his stupor. Liam chuckled and brought his hand up to clap Killian on the chest, "Come brother, I do believe that you deserve a drink after that." Killian merely nodded before looking back over the deck of the ship, taking in all the shell-shocked faces of the crew. He scowled. Great, was it too much to ask that there hadn't been an audience to Emma besting him? He was never going to hear the end of it.

He shrugged Liam's arm off of his shoulders and straightened his coat before yelling at them in an attempt to save even a bit of his shredded dignity, "OI! Show's over! Get back to work!"

Liam merely laughed again and steered him back towards the hatch that lead back down to the lower level of the ship.

Emma smirked and tied a perfect fist knot.


End file.
